Today's DUMBCON Level Is: -1 (and unlikely to change any time soon)

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I'm a 64-year old father of three and grandfather of six with opinions on nearly everything. I believe in courtesy, common sense, and fair play. I love ballroom dancing, reading, gourmet cooking, and travel. While I'm opinionated, I'm not close-minded, and I welcome your constructive comments on my blog. My motto: "I have seen the truth, and it makes no sense."

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Friday, January 30, 2009

General Grumpiness for Friday

One of the nice things about being a grumpy blogger is that there's never any shortage of things to grumpily blog about. As long as the world is filled with people with the IQ of an anvil, the material will come in faster than I can comment on it. To wit:

Part 1: Thank you, Fairfax Connector! Yesterday morning I called our bus service's information line to see if my bus would be running through our neighborhood after our snow and ice storm. I was assured that service was back to normal. After spending 20 minutes at my stop, gradually losing contact with my ears and feet, I walked the half-mile to the shopping center, where I waited another 20 minutes for the bus...which, of course, was running on its "snow emergency route." At least I was only a half-hour late for work.

Part 2: Evil Yoga. From Time Magazine comes this article about religious leaders in Indonesia who have issued a fatwa (religious ruling) which allows Muslims to practice yoga only for the purpose of exercise or sport...no meditation or chanting allowed, as these are evil. I wish I had a job that involved sitting around all day dreaming up off-the-wall things to forbid people to do. But no, then I'd have to register as a Republican, and I can't do that.

Part 3: How much drivel can you pack into one post? One of my co-workers is fond of sending me things he knows will spin me up like a top. Yesterday, he sent me a link to this article: My Predictions for the Obama "Presidency," with the leading comment, "Bilbo, don't read this if your blood pressure is on the high side today." Well, my blood pressure may not have been high before, but it's sure high now. I haven't read such a collection of mindless, partisan, idiotic tripe in a long time. In a comment posted with the article, the author writes: "The article is not intended to “fire up the base,” nor is it an affirmation of Republican ideals or talking points. I am not a Republican, nor am I a fan of George W. Bush. I am simply an independent conservative who has done an incredible amount of research, and interviewed a great number of people with information that backs up the points I have made." Um...right. There are a lot of stupid people on both the far left and the far right. 'Nuff said.

Part 4: Some really good commentary on the economic stimulus. For a good summary of the good and bad points of President Obama's economic stimulus package, take a few minutes to read this post by Michael Sean Winters on the issue from the Catholic blog In All Things: Bad Reasons (& Good) To Oppose the Stimulus. Is there anybody out there on either side of the aisle who understands the concept of "compromise?" Andrea, if no one else, may remember these lyrics from the old song "Shades of Gray" by The Monkees:

"It was easy then to tell truth from lies,selling out from compromise."

It appears that many in Congress are no longer able to make these distinctions.

And finally, speaking of Congress...

Part 5: Your Congress at Work. The nation may be faced with many terrible economic problems, but at least you can be sure that your elected reprehensives are facing them with decisive action. Like this important piece of legislation - H.R. 414: The Camera Phone Predator Alert Act - which would require mobile phones containing digital cameras to make a sound when a photograph is taken. Is this a worthwhile piece of legislation? Perhaps. Could it have waited until, say, Congress figures out how to stop the economy from bleeding jobs? For sure. Thank you, Representative King. Glad to see you have your priorities right.

That's all for today. Time to bring my blood pressure back down. Tonight I can go dancing, and tomorrow is Cartoon Saturday. Those will help.

That post you added (My Predictions) appears to have been written by the ghost writer for Mein Kampf. The only redeeming social value it has is that I will will always know in my heart that there is someone on earth that by comparison, makes me look reasonable.

So if I "hear" a pervert take a picture of me I get to do what exactly? Wrestle him for his camera? Beat him with a bat? Shoot him? Or just readjust my miniskirt so the next pervert doesn't get as good of a pantie shot?

I had a hard time not getting into the fray on "my predictions". One commenter said - ------The people of these United States will regret this history makinf election, but it will be to late. We will bever ever be the same happy country.------

i know many a blogger who will be upset if that bill passes (camera phone bill, not the stimulus). personally and as you already mentioned, there are far more important things to worry about than people who are having their pictures taken without notice.